CS 17 keel/skeg ?

[Jim Stumpf]

Has anyone found a need to increase the size of the skeg on the CS17. At 1 1/2" it looks a little small....does size really matter?  :shock:

All of the sailboats that I have built to date have had more substantial skegs for tracking while rowing or paddling. Put my keel on today, one day closer to priming the hull. I better hurry before my wife gets the first heating fuel bill since I have been back out in the shop.

Thanks,

Jim

[Peter HK]

I certainly haven't noticed any problem with tracking when the board and rudder are up when sailing into shore or when motoring. The bigger the skeg the less the manoeuvrability, so it's a 2 edged sword. I'd rely on the designer who has sailed this boat a lot.

Cheers

Peter HK

[Gordy Hill]

I thought mine looked a bit small also. I added an inch just because I thought it looked better to me and didn't affect the draft. I don't think it makes enough difference that any of us could notice.

[PAR]

If anything I'd want to remove the skeg to "clean up" the under belly for better preformance. If you look at preformance oriented dinghies, you're not going to see a skeg, just a clean, straight run. On the other hand a little weekend cruiser will want a little skeg to help with directional tracking and more importantly to offer a skid to absorb impacts and dragging.

[Tom Lathrop]

What Paul said.  These dinghys don't actually need a keel or skeg for sailing.  The CB and rudder take care of all maneuvering just fine.  I put on the keel for protection in grounding and mainly to protect the CB slot from mud and stuff.    There is some aid in tracking but you pay a price in tacking.  If it were a racing boat I would have no keel or skeg.

[paul_stewart]

Tom,

What would you want if you were racing your CS17 in 8 inches of water?

--Paul

[Jim Stumpf]

Thanks for everyones input. I agree the keel on the CS is no more than a protective shoe. I am not one to question the designers motives as I am a mere wood butcher  :grin: and not an accomplished Naval Architect. I think what made me even question it is I believe that I read or saw pictures of a CS 20 with a 3" skeg, it just got me thinking.

Thanks Again,

Jim

[Tom Lathrop]

Tom,

What would you want if you were racing your CS17 in 8 inches of water?

--Paul

Six more inches   In an attempt to weather tidal current I have sailed over shallows that required letting the CB skip on the bottom and also set the rudder up a lot.  I'm sure the keel does help a bit in these situations but most racing events never take place in such water.  As I said, I like having the keel but think that 1" is adequate for most cases and would never have a keel on a serious racing dingy.  Leeway is best resisted with properly shaped foils and a long low height keel is the opposite of efficient.

[Dale Niemann]

I like the 1" keel per design.  It is great protection and strength on beaching and trailering.

dale

[Jim Stumpf]

Thanks Dale,

I have a few pics of Lively tucked away in my inspirational file.

Jim

[Jim Stumpf]

Fitted out the keel/skeg and finished fairing and filling the hull. I should be ready for primer.

Ready to scribe

Set and shaped

Final fair and seal of any exposed tape

[hokeyhydro]

Looking fine! Excellent fairing job.

Although It appears that your garage is more cluttered than mine, which I did not think possible . . . :-)

[Jim Stumpf]

Clutter :shock: One mans clutter is another mans finely engineered storage and warehouse  system. 

My 900 sqft boat shed shares space with my general contracting business, it is a fine line between chaos and order.

Jim

[John Turpin]

Beautiful hull.

[ChrisObee]

Clutter :shock: One mans clutter is another mans finely engineered storage and warehouse  system.

If he thinks that clutter I should post a picture of my garage. I think the only time that my garage looked that good was just before I moved in.  

Oh....  And that's a mighty fine looking boat  you have there.  You are a very neat builder. 

[Jim Stumpf]

Thanks for all of the compliments. As far as being a neat builder I do the best I can then don't post the pictures of the uglies until I can grind them off  :grin:

Jim

[PAR]

Don't trust neat builders any more then your would skinny cooks . . .